1. Field
Embodiments relate to an image forming apparatus suitable to prevent pollution of a rear end of a printing medium when the printing medium, having passed through a developing unit, approaches a fusing unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, image forming apparatuses are devised to form an image on a printing medium according to inputted image signals. Examples of image forming apparatuses include printers, copiers, facsimiles, and so-called multi-functional devices that combine some of the functionalities of the aforementioned devices.
An electro-photographic image forming apparatus includes a paper supply unit in which a plurality of printing media is stored, a developing unit to form an image on a printing medium, supplied sheet by sheet from the paper supply unit, using developer, and a paper discharge unit to discharge the printing medium, on which the image has been completely formed, to the outside.
In the developing unit, an electrostatic latent image is formed on a surface of the photosensitive body as light scans the photosensitive body that has been charged with a predetermined electric potential, and developer is fed to the electrostatic latent image, developing the electrostatic latent image into a visible image.
The developer image formed on the photosensitive body is transferred to the printing medium via a transfer roller and subsequently, the transferred developer image on the printing medium is fused to the printing medium while passing through a fusing unit.
A region between the developing unit and the fusing unit is a non-fusing region in which some of the developer scattered over the printing medium is present as fine developer powder. The fine developer powder may pollute a lower end of a housing of the developing unit.
In the meantime, as the printing medium passes through the fusing unit, the printing medium is pressed between a heating roller and a press roller having an elastic layer. In this case, if the elastic layer of the press roller is deformed, it may cause a rear end of the printing medium to be raised.
The raised rear end of the printing medium may come into contact with the polluted lower end of the housing of the developing unit and consequently, the rear end of the printing medium may be polluted.
Moreover, in a state wherein the developer image is not yet completely fused to the printing medium, the developer image may be deformed as the rear end of the printing medium comes into contact with the lower end of the housing of the developing unit.